The parish church was built in the 8th century by the Lombards. The church consists in a basilican style with uncovered beams and a central nave not elevated, but in conjunction with the lateral ones. The columns are large and round, in layers of brick and local stone surmounted by capitals with arabesques of geometric designs. The columns are large and round, in layers of brick and local stone surmounted by capitals with arabesques of geometric designs, grotesque animal and human figures in different styles, from Lombard to Byzantine art. Only a few traces of the ancient Polenta castle remain, however, on the summit of the nearby hill.
The parish church has undergone several restorations, the most famous being the one in 1897 promoted by Giosuè Carducci, who wrote the Ode to the Church of Polenta at that time. In this ode, he suggests that Dante Alighieri prayed in this church during his exile and that he was hosted here by the Lords of Ravenna. Its churchyard is worth a visit as well, where a memorial herm dedicated to the poet Giosuè Carducci – inaugurated in 1932- – and the coats of arms from the towns that participated in the traditional “Raduno Carducciano”, an event held annually with a cycle of Dante readings.
Can’t find what you are looking for?
Have you found incorrect or missing content?
Send a feedback to the Tourist Information Office of the relevant Municipality. Go to the tourist offices page.
